Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Hyderabad HG 8
- Date Span
- 1847-53
- Colour
- Black
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 104
- Figure
- 8
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
0 covers recordedNo pre stamp cover bearing the Hyderabad HG 8 handstamp has been recorded yet. If you hold one, submit it below.
No covers bearing this mark have been recorded yet. If you hold one, your submission — once reviewed — will appear here.
About this mark
The Hyderabad HG 8 handstamp
Hyderabad, Capital of Hyderabad State, or the Nizam's Dominions, is situated 17°22' N and 78°27' E, on the right bank of the Musi River. The house of the Nizams was founded by Asaf Jah, a distinguished general of Aurungzeb, in 1713, when he became the viceroy of the Deccan. A treaty was signed in 1768 between the Nizam and the East India Company for both an offensive and defensive alliance.
Hyderabad HG 8 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Hyderabad in the Madras Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1847 to 1853. Known strikes are in black. It is listed in 1989 Catalogue, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 8".
No surviving cover bearing this mark has been recorded in the census yet — if you hold one, it may be the first recorded example. On the strength of that count the mark is graded "Common" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for hyderabad pre stamp covers, hyderabad postal history or "Hyderabad HG8" material can compare HG 8 across every office or browse the rest of the Hyderabad marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Hyderabad HG 8 handstamp?
- Hyderabad HG 8 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Hyderabad in the Madras Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1847 to 1853. The "HG 8" designation is its figure number in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India. Known strikes are in black.
- How rare is Hyderabad HG 8?
- Hyderabad HG 8 is graded "Common" in this census. Rarity here is evidence-based: it is derived from the number of surviving covers actually recorded, not estimated. No surviving cover bearing this mark has been recorded in the census yet — if you hold one, it may be the first recorded example.
- What does a Hyderabad pre stamp cover with HG 8 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Hyderabad is a folded letter or envelope carried before India's first adhesive stamp of 1854, with postage shown entirely by hand-struck marks like HG 8. No surviving cover bearing this mark has been recorded in the census yet — if you hold one, it may be the first recorded example. Each census record on this page links to full cover images, dates and auction provenance.
- How do I identify or submit a Hyderabad HG 8 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1847-53). If your cover is not already recorded, you can submit front and back photographs through the census form on this page; every submission is editor-reviewed before publication.
Same office
Other recorded marks at Hyderabad
9 marks9 other pre-1854 postal markings of Hyderabad are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
- Hyderabad HG 1handstampBlack1810–1819
- Hyderabad HG 2handstampBlack1817-19
- Hyderabad HG 3handstampBlack1820–1837
- Hyderabad HG 4handstampBlack1832–1837
- Hyderabad HG 5handstampBlack1836-37
- Hyderabad HG 6handstampBlack1834–1837
- Hyderabad HG 7handstampRed1839-58
- Hyderabad HG 9handstampRed1853-56
- Hyderabad HG 10handstampRed1842–1856
Suggest a correction
Spotted a wrong date, colour or rarity? Propose a change — every suggestion is reviewed before it is applied.
Also searched as: Hyderabad HG 8, Hyderabad HG8, Hyderabad Giles 8, Hyderabad handstamp, Hyderabad pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Hyderabad HG 8 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/hyderabad/hg-8 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026